1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network scanner and file transmitting/receiving system, and user terminal apparatus and file transmitting/receiving system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a scanner is positioned on a network and image information scanned by the scanner is transmitted to a desired personal computer (PC) connected to the network. Such a scanner is referred to as a network scanner.
The network scanner converts image information to a predetermined file format (for example, TIFF), establishes a communication channel between PC and the network scanner on the network using a TCP protocol, and transfers an image file to PC through this communication channel. PC stores this image file to a hard disk and the like, and performs display and edition based on an application (Viewer and the like).
For example, in displaying the image file transmitted and stored in PC, a user selects a viewer application corresponding to the image file from a launcher menu of an OS (Operation System) standard, and starts up it. Sequentially, the user selects a “file open” command from the menu of the viewer application, and executes it so as to open a holder in which image files are stored. Then, the user selects a desired image file and opens it.
In the image file, numerous formats exist, and applications corresponding to the respective formats also exist. For this reason, the user must select an application suitable for viewing and editing the image file.
Moreover, in the case of opening the image file from the application, it is required that the user should perform a plurality of operations such as selection of command, selection of folder and file, confirmation and execution and the like. This is not necessarily the simple and easy way to all users due to numerous operations.
OS has a function that associates the file with the application. However, in this case, there is a necessity to search the folder in which image files are stored from a directory using a filer of OS standard, select a desired image file therefrom, and click the selected image file.
Thus, in any case, the user must search a target image file from numerous image files scanned in the past by the unaided eye in order to view the image which the user has just scanned using the network scanner.